True Riches
(1 Timothy 6:17–19; James 5:1–6)

Saying 7

1  כִּֽי־ (When) תֵ֭שֵׁב (you sit down) לִלְח֣וֹם (to eat) אֶת־ (with) מוֹשֵׁ֑ל (a ruler),

בִּ֥ין (with discernment) תָּ֝בִ֗ין (be discerning) אֶת־ (-) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that which) לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃ (is before your face).

2  וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ (And put) שַׂכִּ֣ין (a knife) בְּלֹעֶ֑ךָ (to your throat),

אִם־ (if) בַּ֖עַל (are an owner) נֶ֣פֶשׁ (of an appetite) אָֽתָּה׃ (you).

3  אַל־ (Not) תִּ֭תְאָו (should you mark out) לְמַטְעַמּוֹתָ֑יו (his delicacies),

וְ֝ה֗וּא (for it) לֶ֣חֶם (is bread) כְּזָבִֽים׃ (of lies).

Saying 8

4  אַל־ (Do not) תִּיגַ֥ע (toil) לְֽהַעֲשִׁ֑יר (to become rich);

מִֽבִּינָתְךָ֥ (from your own understanding), חֲדָֽל׃ (cease).

5  הֲתָעוּף (Will you make fly) עֵינֶ֥יךָ (your eyes) בּ֗וֹ (onto it) וְֽאֵ֫ינֶ֥נּוּ (and it is not there)?

כִּ֤י (For) עָשֹׂ֣ה (making) יַעֲשֶׂה־ (it makes) לּ֣וֹ (for itself) כְנָפַ֑יִם (wings) כְּ֝נֶ֗שֶׁר (like an eagle);

וְעָיֵף (and flies away) הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃פ (to the heavens).

Saying 9

6  אַל־ (Do not) תִּלְחַ֗ם (eat) אֶת־ (-) לֶ֭חֶם (the bread) רַ֣ע (of one evil) עָ֑יִן (of eye),

וְאַל־ (and not) תִּתְאָו (mark out) לְמַטְעַמֹּתָֽיו׃ (his delicacies);

7  כִּ֤י׀ (for) כְּמוֹ־ (like) שָׁעַ֥ר (one who calculates) בְּנַפְשׁ֗וֹ (in his soul),

כֶּ֫ן־ (so) ה֥וּא (is he).

אֱכֹ֣ל (Eat) וּ֭שְׁתֵה (and drink), יֹ֣אמַר (he says) לָ֑ךְ (to you),

וְ֝לִבּ֗וֹ (and his heart) בַּל־ (is not) עִמָּֽךְ׃ (with you).

8  פִּֽתְּךָ־ (Your morsel) אָכַ֥לְתָּ (that you have eaten) תְקִיאֶ֑נָּה (you will vomit it up),

וְ֝שִׁחַ֗תָּ (and you will ruin) דְּבָרֶ֥יךָ (your words) הַנְּעִימִֽים׃ (pleasant).

Saying 10

9  בְּאָזְנֵ֣י (In the ears) כְ֭סִיל (of a fool) אַל־ (not) תְּדַבֵּ֑ר (do speak),

כִּֽי־ (for) יָ֝ב֗וּז (he will despise) לְשֵׂ֣כֶל (the wisdom) מִלֶּֽיךָ׃ (of your words).

Saying 11

10  אַל־ (Do not) תַּ֭סֵּג (remove) גְּב֣וּל (a boundary) עוֹלָ֑ם (of old),

וּבִשְׂדֵ֥י (and into the fields) יְ֝תוֹמִ֗ים (of the fatherless) אַל־ (not) תָּבֹֽא׃ (do enter).

11  כִּֽי־ (For) גֹאֲלָ֥ם (their Redeemer) חָזָ֑ק (is strong);

הֽוּא־ (He) יָרִ֖יב (will contend) אֶת־ (-) רִיבָ֣ם (their dispute) אִתָּֽךְ׃ (against you).

Saying 12

12  הָבִ֣יאָה (You must bring) לַמּוּסָ֣ר (to discipline) לִבֶּ֑ךָ (your heart),

וְ֝אָזְנֶ֗ךָ (and your ears) לְאִמְרֵי־ (to the words) דָֽעַת׃ (of knowledge).

Saying 13

13  אַל־ (Do not) תִּמְנַ֣ע (withhold) מִנַּ֣עַר (from a child) מוּסָ֑ר (discipline),

כִּֽי־ (if) תַכֶּ֥נּוּ (you strike him) בַ֝שֵּׁ֗בֶט (with the rod), לֹ֣א (not) יָמֽוּת׃ (will he die).

14  אַ֭תָּה (You) בַּשֵּׁ֣בֶט (with the rod) תַּכֶּ֑נּוּ (shall strike him)

וְ֝נַפְשׁ֗וֹ (and his soul) מִשְּׁא֥וֹל (from Sheol) תַּצִּֽיל׃ (you will deliver).

Saying 14

15  בְּ֭נִי (My son), אִם־ (if) חָכַ֣ם (is wise) לִבֶּ֑ךָ (your heart),

יִשְׂמַ֖ח (will be glad), לִבִּ֣י (my heart) גַם־ (even) אָֽנִי׃ (I).

16  וְתַעְלֹ֥זְנָה (And will exult) כִלְיוֹתָ֑י (and my kidneys)

בְּדַבֵּ֥ר (at the speaking) שְׂ֝פָתֶ֗יךָ (by your lips) מֵישָׁרִֽים׃ (of uprightness).

Saying 15

17  אַל־ (Do not) יְקַנֵּ֣א (let be jealous) לִ֭בְּךָ (your heart) בַּֽחַטָּאִ֑ים (of the sinners),

כִּ֥י (but) אִם־ (rather) בְּיִרְאַת־ (in the fear) יְ֝הוָ֗ה (of YHWH) כָּל־ (all) הַיּֽוֹם׃ (the day).

18  כִּ֭י (For) אִם־ (surely) יֵ֣שׁ (there is) אַחֲרִ֑ית (a posterity),

וְ֝תִקְוָתְךָ֗ (and your hope) לֹ֣א (not) תִכָּרֵֽת׃ (will be cut off).

Saying 16

19  שְׁמַע־ (Hear) אַתָּ֣ה (you), בְנִ֣י (my son), וַחֲכָ֑ם (and be wise),

וְאַשֵּׁ֖ר (and let walk straight) בַּדֶּ֣רֶךְ (in the way) לִבֶּֽךָ׃ (your heart).

20  אַל־ (Not) תְּהִ֥י (be) בְסֹֽבְאֵי־ (among those getting drunk) יָ֑יִן (on wine),

בְּזֹלֲלֵ֖י (among those being gluttons) בָשָׂ֣ר (of flesh) לָֽמוֹ׃ (to themelves).

21  כִּי־ (For) סֹבֵ֣א (the drunkard) וְ֭זוֹלֵל (and the glutton) יִוָּרֵ֑שׁ (will be dispossessed),

וּ֝קְרָעִ֗ים (and in rags) תַּלְבִּ֥ישׁ (will clothe them) נוּמָֽה׃ (drowsiness).

Saying 17

22  שְׁמַ֣ע (Listen) לְ֭אָבִיךָ (to your father), זֶ֣ה (this one) יְלָדֶ֑ךָ (begot you),

וְאַל־ (and do not) תָּ֝ב֗וּז (despise) כִּֽי־ (when) זָקְנָ֥ה (she is old) אִמֶּֽךָ׃ (your mother).

23  אֱמֶ֣ת (Truth) קְ֭נֵה (acquire) וְאַל־ (and do not) תִּמְכֹּ֑ר (sell it)—

חָכְמָ֖ה (wisdom) וּמוּסָ֣ר (and discipline) וּבִינָֽה׃ (and discernment).

24  גּוֹל (With rejoicing) יָגוֹל (will rejoice) אֲבִ֣י (the father) צַדִּ֑יק (of a righteous one),

יוֹלֵד (and the one begetting) חָ֝כָ֗ם (a wise son) וְיִשְׂמַח (will be glad) בּֽוֹ׃ (in him).

25  יִֽשְׂמַח־ (Let be glad) אָבִ֥יךָ (your father) וְאִמֶּ֑ךָ (and your mother),

וְ֝תָגֵ֗ל (and let rejoice) יֽוֹלַדְתֶּֽךָ׃ (she who bore you).

Saying 18

26  תְּנָֽה־ (Give), בְנִ֣י (my son), לִבְּךָ֣ (your heart) לִ֑י (to me),

וְ֝עֵינֶ֗יךָ (and your eyes) דְּרָכַ֥י (my ways) תִּרְצֶנָה׃ (let delight in).

27  כִּֽי־ (For) שׁוּחָ֣ה (a pit) עֲמֻקָּ֣ה (deep) זוֹנָ֑ה (is a prostitute),

וּבְאֵ֥ר (and a well) צָ֝רָ֗ה (narrow) נָכְרִיָּֽה׃ (is a strange woman).

28  אַף־ (Also) הִ֭יא (she) כְּחֶ֣תֶף (like a robber) תֶּֽאֱרֹ֑ב (lies in wait),

וּ֝בוֹגְדִ֗ים (and the treacherous ones) בְּאָדָ֥ם (among men) תּוֹסִֽף׃ (she increases).

Saying 19

29  לְמִ֨י (To whom) א֥וֹי (is woe)? לְמִ֪י (To whom) אֲב֡וֹי (is sorrow)?

לְמִ֤י (To whom) מְדוֹנִים (are quarrels) לְמִ֥י (to whom) שִׂ֗יחַ (is complaining)?

לְ֭מִי (To whom) פְּצָעִ֣ים (are wounds) חִנָּ֑ם (without cause)? לְ֝מִ֗י (To whom) חַכְלִל֥וּת (is dullness) עֵינָֽיִם׃ (of eyes)?

30  לַֽמְאַחֲרִ֥ים (To those lingering) עַל־ (over) הַיָּ֑יִן (the wine);

לַ֝בָּאִ֗ים (to those going) לַחְקֹ֥ר (in search of) מִמְסָֽךְ׃ (mixed drink).

31  אַל־ (Do not) תֵּ֥רֶא (look at) יַיִן֮ (the wine) כִּ֪י (when) יִתְאַ֫דָּ֥ם (it is red),

כִּֽי־ (when) יִתֵּ֣ן (it gives forth) בַּכִּיס (in the cup) עֵינ֑וֹ (its eye),

יִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ךְ (it goes down) בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃ (with smoothness).

32  אַ֭חֲרִיתוֹ (Its end is)— כְּנָחָ֣שׁ (like a serpent) יִשָּׁ֑ךְ (it bites),

וּֽכְצִפְעֹנִ֥י (and like a viper) יַפְרִֽשׁ׃ (it stings).

33  עֵ֭ינֶיךָ (Your eyes) יִרְא֣וּ (will see) זָר֑וֹת (strange things),

וְ֝לִבְּךָ֗ (and your heart) יְדַבֵּ֥ר (will speak) תַּהְפֻּכֽוֹת׃ (perverse things).

34  וְ֭הָיִיתָ (And you will become) כְּשֹׁכֵ֣ב (like one lying down) בְּלֶב־ (in the heart) יָ֑ם (of the sea),

וּ֝כְשֹׁכֵ֗ב (and like one lying down) בְּרֹ֣אשׁ (on the top) חִבֵּֽל׃ (of a mast):

35  הִכּ֥וּנִי (They struck me); בַל־ (not) חָלִיתִי֮ (did I become weak).

הֲלָמ֗וּנִי (They beat me); בַּל־ (not) יָ֫דָ֥עְתִּי (did I know it).

מָתַ֥י (When) אָקִ֑יץ (I awake)

א֝וֹסִ֗יף (I will add) אֲבַקְשֶׁ֥נּוּ (to seek it) עֽוֹד׃ (again)?